🥃 Troyanska slivova rakya

Troyanska slivova rakya is a Bulgarian fruit distillate with a name protected in the EU, from the Troyan municipality in Lovech province. It is distilled from fermented mash of blue plums without stones in an NM-72 column still and aged at least three years in oak barrels; strength is from 38% vol.

The orchards lie on the northern slopes of the Troyan-Kalofer part of the Balkan Mountains, about 400 m above sea level: the villages of Golyama Zhelyazna, Dalboki dol, Vrabevo, Debnevo and Balabansko, plus Kyorchotovo and Dryanova mogila within Troyan. About 399 ha are planted with plums. The raw material is Stanley (70%), Kyustendil blue (17%) and home blue plum (13%).

The fruit is crushed and the stones are sieved out, so the drink contains only 0.02–0.05 g/hl of hydrocyanic compounds. The mash ferments with selected yeast at no more than 30 °C, and the distillate comes off at 55–65% vol. It is diluted to 42–45% vol., filtered, chilled to −10 °C and put into 300–500 litre barrels of Bulgarian oak aged at least 60 years. Cellars are kept at 18–22 °C in summer. The best batches mature for up to 25 years.

The technical file links the tradition to Troyan Monastery, founded in the 14th century: according to tradition, the monks here began distilling. Orchards expanded after 1900, from 1,614 ha in 1921 to 7,134 ha in 1952. The Mountain Farming Institute in Troyan brought the Stanley variety to Bulgaria. The name was approved by order No T-RD-27-23 of 27 November 2013; EU protection has applied since 21 June 2005.

Why this matters to you. The words “Troyanska slivova rakya” on a label mean plums from the Troyan region and at least three years in oak, which gives the straw or golden colour and vanilla notes. It is a relative of Serbian and Croatian šljivovica with its own raw material. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.